“Escape with Pulcinella”: Development of A Gamified Environment And Pilot Study On Escape Rooms For Language Learning And Cultural Knowledge Acquisition

The paper shows a pilot study whose purpose is to evaluate the usability and user satisfaction of a prototype escape room designed with a Mixed Reality (MR) approach. We investigated if it is perceived by participants as an easy, useful, and satisfying tool to use. The methodological framework on the Game-based learning (GBL) and the application of tangible user interfaces in the field of the educational escape rooms applying a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) approach. The pilot study collect data for the design of an educational escape room for the learning acquisition and the knowledge of the local culture. This pilot research has been inspired by the European project EULALIA (Enhancing University Language courses with an App powered by game-based Learning and tangible user Interfaces Activities) addressed to Erasmus students. It is developed to facilitate learning host country language and sociocultural context with the use of new technologies such as tangible user interfaces. The application made for this project has been called “Escape with Pulcinella”, the goal is to empower the Italian language learning and the improvement of knowledge about Neapolitan culture's learning, applying the paradigm of Tangible User Interface (TUI) using a storytelling that motivates and involves the user. The application proposes clues and riddles proposing a multisensory approach and involving the sense of smell, taste and touch mediated by the digital devices. The users' smartphone represents a sort of magic wand that it is used to browse the room – designed as a learning environment – aimed at completion of the story. The participants are 22 to 32 years old, 8 females and 2 males. Regarding nationalities, 2 are of Croatian nationality, 8 are of Italian nationality, for a total of 10 participants. Scoring System usability scale (SUS) was used to assess if the instrument was effective. The mean and standard deviation was calculated and according to the mean score this instrument is satisfactory.